Bobby pin opener



Felikl, 1949. T, WORRELL 2,450,562

BOB BY PIN OPENER Filed D60. 13, 1946 I Figi.

Ted Worm v Patented Feb. 1, 1.949

UNITED STATES ?ACE'ENT QFFlCE nosey PIN oran e Ted n. Warren, Santa Paula, Calif.

Application December 13, 194.6, Serial No. 715,996

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to hairpin openers, and more particularly adapted for use with bobby pins and adaptedto be worn on a finger of an operator or beautician.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device of this characten the use of which makes it possible to open bobby pins, or the like, preparatory to the application thereof to the hair, with one hand; the operator usually desires to hold the hair in position with one hand while applying the bobby pins to the hair so held with the other hand, and it will be understood that this device is normally placed on the finger of the hand holding the hair, the pins being opened and manipulated with the other free hand.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which in no way interferes with the normal use of the hand used to hold the hair in place.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device which is very light in weight and need not be removed from the hand while the operator is engaged in work not requiring the use of this invention. 7

Another object of this invention is the provision of a device which eliminates the tendency of operators to use unsanitary and otherwise undesirable methods of opening the pins, one such undesirable method including the-use of the teeth to hold one arm or branch of the bobby pin While the other branch of the bobby pin is sprung outwardly to allow the application of the pin to the hair.

Another object of this invention, closely related to the preceding object, resides in the great reduction of the danger of transferring disease from patron to operator or vice versa.

And a last object to be specifically mentioned is to provide a bobby pin opener which is so designed as to be inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, simple, safe and extremely convenient to use, and which will give efiicient and durable service.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, as the description of this invention proceeds, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and. arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings which form a material part of this application, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view, adapted to show how this invention is used, the opener being applied to a finger of an operator whose other hand holds a bobby pin ready to be inserted in and opened by this improved bobby pin opener;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the bobby pin opener;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the bobby pin opener, with a finger of an operator and a foreshortened bobby pin being shown in dash lines; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view of the upper portion of the bobby pin opener, the View being a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 in Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical parts and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now in detail to the drawings which represent a preferred embodiment of this invention, the ring portion it which may have a considerable relative width as indicated in Figure 3, is made in a plurality of sizes to comfortably fit the finger'of diiierent operators. An upwardly extending member 52 is beveled on one side thereof and on what will be hereinafter referred to as a front side of the device as at M. This beveled portion l4 may be thought of as communicating with the forward larger end of the aperture It, this formation being adapted to facilitate the guiding of one end portion I3, that is, the end of the longer arm of the bobby pin, into the aperture it while the end 29 of the shorter arm of the bobby pin is simultaneously engaged in fractional contact with the edge 22, indicated in Figure 2.

It is obvious that the application of the pin as described immediately above will force the two arms of the pin apart a distance equalto the spacing of the hole it; from the edge 22, and this spacing may be made of sufficient dimension to adequately spread the said arms apart preparatory to withdrawal of the pin from the device and insertion thereof in the hair.

Referring now to Figure 3 it may be noted that no great care is required in preserving the pin in any particular disposition relative to the beveled portion Hi after the pin is once inserted into the device, that is, the pin may be rotated around the aperture it into any position found most convenient for grasping the same, while and after it has been pushed a considerable proportion of the length thereof onto the device. In this connection it should be noted that the extending portion I2 is also beveled on the rear side thereof as indicated by the dotted line 23 in Figure 2, thus producing a narrow edge 25 on the front side of the device adjacent the contiguous portion of the margin of the aperture l6. In recapitulation, since this is an important feature of the invention, both forward and rear sides of the projection E2 are beveled, and the slopes of these two beveled portions are essentially parallel to each other. It will, therefore, be clear that the bobby pin may be opened by inserting the longer end 58 into the aperture 56 while the end 20 is disposed as to the right in Figure 2 to con. tact the edge 24, further insertion of the pin causing the two arms thereof to be spread apart, in the same manner as the said arms werespread apart when the end 26) was disposed to the left or on the edge 22.

This feature of the invention allows the op.- erator to turn the hand holding the hair in any direction and with greater freedom While still allowing the hobby pins. to be operatively applied to the opening device.

The width of the portion 28 marginally disposed'of the upper forward end portion of the aperture 95, will necessarily be narrow and adapted to be readily inserted between the ends I8 2d of the hobby p n. The end 23 of the aperture i5 will ordinarily be of a size not greatly in excess of the width of the end l8 of the bobby pin wherewith the device is to be used.

With the foregoing description of the mechanical details or this invention in View, the method of operation will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains. It may be expedient, however, to add that the device is primarily adapted for opening one pin at a time rather than for the storage of more than a one pin in, the device although the device can'be readily modified to carry out the latter function. It is thought that a sufficient supply of bobby pins can readily be made available to the operator without such storage in the device.

Many and various modifications may be made in this invention, particularly with regard to the exact proportions of the beveled portions l4 and 732 and the aperture 5%, but such changes are matters of mere individual requirement andmechanic-al expediency and are believed to be well within the scope and spirit of this invention, and within an equitable interpretation of the appended claims.

Having shown'how this invention may be reduced to practice with sufiicient description to enable anyone to make and use this invention, it is thought that further description is unnecessary.

Though there has been shown a particular embodiment of this invention this application is not limited to this particular embodiment, but it is desired to include in the scope of this invention the construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described this invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters. Patent is:

1. A bobby pin opener including a finger ring, and an upwardly extending member on said ring, said member having a transversely disposed tapered aperture to receive one arm of said pin while the other arm is deflected outwardly by frictional contact with the outer edge of said member, an inclined plane on one side of said member extending from the adjacent edge of the member to the larger end of said aperture, the axis of the aperture being parallel to the axis of the ring, and said inclined plane extending onto he rin 2. A bobby pin opener including a finger ring,

and an upwardly extending member on said ring,

said member having a transversely disposed tapered aperture to receive one arm of said pin while the other arm is deflected outwardly by frictional contact With th outer edge of said member, a laterally disposed inclined plane on said member and on the adjacent portion of the ring leading to said aperture to facilitate the operative insertion of said one arm into said aperture from one side of the device.

A bobby pin opener including a finger ring, and an upwardly extending member on said ring, said member having a transversely disposed tapered apertureto receive one arm of said pin while the other arm is deflected outwardly by frictional contact with the outer edge of said member, a laterally disposed inclined plane on said member adjacent said aperture and extending onto said ring to facilitate the operative insertion of said one arm into said aperture from one side of the device, and the opposite side of said member and a contiguous portion of said ring havingan inclined face substantially parallel to said inclined plane, providing a sharp edge between the plane and one side of the smaller diameter-ed end of said aperture, whereby the short end of a bobby pin may be caught on said sharp edge when the short end of the bobby pin is to be inserted into said aperture from said opposite side of the device. a

r TED H. \IVORRELL.

REFERENCES. CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED S A ES PA EN S Number 7 Name Date 2,406,060 Byron Aug. 20, 1946 

